One year has passed since the death of music industry legend Quincy Jones. Throughout his awe-inspiring career, Quincy earned 28 Grammy Awards, sold over 100 million albums, both as a producer and bandleader, and produced the best-selling album of all time, Michael Jackson’s Thriller. Quincy left behind an unparalleled legacy and was the most important producer of popular music in the 20th century, and by some is considered the best producer of all time. Along with being a legendary producer, he was an extremely talented trumpet player, composer, film score writer, and arranger.
Jones was born in 1933 and raised on the South Side of Chicago. His mother was mentally unstable and was sent off to a mental home when Quincy was very young. His father decided for them to move to Seattle, where he developed his love for music by playing trumpet for his school’s band. He earned a scholarship to what is now known as Berklee College of Music in Boston and studied jazz trumpet there. He had a successful career in jazz as an arranger and trumpeter after moving to New York, and during his time there, he met one of his greatest friends, Ray Charles. However, his big break was when he started working with Frank Sinatra, breaking him into popular music production. Once Quincy started working with Michael Jackson, he became a household name. He produced Jackson’s 3 most famous albums, Off the Wall, Thriller, and Bad. He was an innovator of music, constantly pushing the boundaries of genre and exploring new styles. Quincy continued to work with innovative young artists until his death one year ago, passing on his knowledge to the next generation of musicians.
Despite his considerable esteem, many modern listeners are unaware of who he was and how his music likely influenced what they listen to today. However, several open-minded HHS students were willing to give his music a try and immediately understood why he was so influential. “I didn’t know who Quincy Jones was at first, but once I learned he produced legends and shaped the sound of modern music, I realized he’s seriously cool,” said sophomore Julian Lloyd. Another student, Ava Halsing, was also struck by his production of famous albums, particularly Thriller. “Thriller is one of the best albums ever, and it’s so impressive to me because sometimes producers don’t get the credit they deserve for the work they do behind the scenes,” she remarked.
Quincy Jones never truly received the credit he deserved for revolutionizing modern music production, but his legacy lives on in the music. To him, music was the most important thing in the world, and to have any effect on it is more credit than any award could ever give.
